Remember Don Zirkel? Of course, you do; right?
Mr. Zirkel, 80, of Bethpage, Long Island, N.Y., was arrested at the end of March for wearing a t-shirt to the Smith Haven Mall in Lake Grove, N.Y. and refusing to turn it inside out (you know, the old high school trick) or leave the food court of the mall, where his wife and he were having lunch. Well, not just any t-shirt. This one had a message, "4,000 troops, 1 million Iraqis dead. Enough."
Mr. Zirkel was at an anti-war rally and was protesting the fatalities in the Iraq War. He was charged with pretty serious stuff: criminal trespass and resisting arrest. Hauled off to jail. Handcuffed to the wall for two hours and then released from custody. (Shades of Alice's Restaurant, right?)
And since then? Nothing in the news. A search today revealed a June 1st New York Times article that reports the shopping mall dropped the charges.
For the full article and a picture of Mr. Zirkel and his t-shirt, go to http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/01/nyregion/nyregionspecial2/01colli.html?_r=2&scp=1&sq=%22zirkel%22&st=nyt&oref=slogin&oref=slogin
Maybe we should all get these t-shirts. I've tried to find a phone number for him, but his wife of 57 years and he live in a residence for seniors. If I head off to Bethpage, N.Y. later this summer, I'll buy them lunch and find out how to get a t-shirt.
© 2008 GUS PHILPOTT
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1 comment:
I have mixed feelings about the war today and the carnage that goes along with any war. Having been involved in a non-combat role in the Viet Nam War I still hurt when I think of the almost 60,000 men and women who gave their lives and the thousands more that were forever injured physically and psychologicaly. I can only hope that history and time will say that both were needed for the security of this country and its citizens. Even then the pain is still there in my heart for all the lives and families affected.
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